Recent Entries

I haven't been in the mood to make entries in the past months. I've been dealing with stress over things like critical analysis to...ugh...politics. One of the few things I did to be able to keep my sanity was revisiting my high school Tales years/my pre-Tales of Symphonia years (i.e. all the Tales games that were out before the North America release of Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube).

It feels like I dealt with too much BS this year that I have dubbed it, "The Year of the BS!" It's all due to the people themselves & politics. It's two things that emphasized the BS: politics & a certain phrase. I also am willing to get offensive & I don't intend to be nice if I have to be.

Okay, yes, I was feeling exhausted during parts of Comic Con 2016 (well, Friday in particular). Held this off because of that (yeah, a week afterward), despite not having much detail to give out, hence why this is the short route.

Lately, in a combination of getting into a Ninja Turtles kick (yes, I did watch that latest movie, despite what any of you will say about anything that Michael Bay is involved with), video gaming, and a renewed interest in the original Xbox, I decided on playing some games...of questionable quality based around the 2003 TMNT cartoon. So I bought them via original Xbox version.

The first of the three I’ve beaten was the second game, Battle Nexus. This is noteworthy because it was the one that critics gave horrible scores to, the worst of the three, and I had a grudge over it when I rented its Gamecube version back in 2004 (and beaten it too). 12 years later, here I am, doing it over again. This time…I’m now saying it’s merely a mediocre/average game rather than a piece of crap.

So, here I am, trying to write a blog entry about how I feel like an idiot because I feel like I can't analyze correctly. It was going to get into criticizing and how I feel oblivious to things but I think the most touchy of subject is the biggest thing that's making me lose my mind & it does go in relations to my obliviousness in criticizing.

Okay, so it's been a while since I've done a blog post. Well, I've been distracted & not feeling right but I got this on my mind.

I've been doing some grinding in my PS2 version of Tales of the Abyss (this came after I did some bit of grinding in my Steam version of Tales of Symphonia & I'm going to have to do some in the PS3 version of Tales of Symphonia). I think during the grind session with Abyss, considering I had some bad history with this installment & now feeling like I'm going to end up being some sort of Tales of the Abyss defender, despite it not being my favorite installment, because it feels like people now hate the game or something when I kept thinking it was some installment that was worshipped as greatness. Then later on, I got to rewatch Star Wars: The Force Awakens. When I saw it in theaters, I just thought it was a good movie that somehow managed to feel bland. Watching it again, I still feel the same. It wasn't a bad movie but man, I still can't help but think how empty it feels.

You know what these say for me? It's hard for me to keep my mind leveled against hype (and anti-hype). I'll get to the Tales part in my next entry. For now, I need to get some stuff off of my chest in regards to Force Awakens.

(I guess I'm obligated to say that I'm getting into Force Awakens spoiler territory now under the cut. You've been warned)

So, I am getting used to streaming after doing a stream for a Power Rangers movie tie-in game & starting a playthrough of Tales of Phantasia PS1 for the stream. I’m just keeping track of what games I have consideration for streaming once I meet certain conditions. Also, even if I already streamed a game doesn’t mean I won’t do it again. I just have to feel it’s the right time to do it again.

So here’s a list of games I would love to stream. Yeah, a lot of them will be PC version of some sort since it’s the easiest for the time being. Fighting games will not be included on this post since they’re a given for me for when I decide to do online ranked matches or I had to show the game in a nutshell. Lastly, these are just ideas and I will announce if I will do particular games.

As a reminder, I do have my collection over here for future references:

No, I'm not doing something I'm not supposed to really do when working as a Ghostbuster. I'm actually looking to do streaming.

Right now, I'm just playing what's on my computer and later on I can hopefully buy a capture device when it comes to that. That means my Steam collection, non-Steam PC games, and, as much as I rather be using the actual hardware for the older systems, emulation.

I don't have my Twitch channel spruced up yet. I'm still thinking of pictures (I'm thinking the profile would be a Cless Alvein figure on my Xbox 360 stick). As for what to title it, I'm still thinking of one. If you got a name for my stream channel, I'm taking suggestions. To keep in mind for a name suggestion, I'm not looking to have this channel to be very serious and trying to go big, even if I'm looking to stream something like my ranked matches in fighting games, I want to keep some sort of casual mood to it (meaning I'm not always going to be streaming fighting games) and it's mostly just for those I'm regularly around as a gathering to see me do something.

In regards to going the emulation route for the console games I do own.

I found myself thinking that if I'm going to be doing streaming, I'm going to end up streaming Tales of Phantasia PS1 one of those days. I find myself going, "I might as well do it soon rather than later because I know I'm going to do it." There's a good chance you already figured out which fan translation I'm going to use (Phantasian Productions). I'm also going to need to prepare a script for the beginning since I got some things I want to say to set it up.

As for the SNES Power Rangers game, I also find myself wanting to stream that particular movie tie-in game, so I decided that's another one I will do (besides, I've been burying my head in this Power Rangers/Super Sentai & Kamen Rider stuff recently). When I finally do get a capture card, I do intend to stream that Power Rangers game again.

And of course, since I bought the Steam version of Tales of Zestiria, I do have plans to stream that one when it gets released (it is in the Steam collection if you didn't see the link, though it's not out yet).

In regards to when, I find that, unless I state otherwise (like me doing said Tales of Zesitira stream on its NA release date, i.e. on a Tuesday), I pretty much plan it like this:

Friday: In the evening, like 7 PM US Pacific at the latest.Saturday: In the afternoon, maybe around 2 PM US Pacific.

Of course, it only applies if I announce that I will do a stream on those days.

This one is more of its ups and downs. I think because I was typing this during each night on Google docs and I take some time to post this, let's just get on with the show this time. I'm still doing this stuff.

I'll put it this way. Yes, Sony won this E3, but only because they made us eat crow by announcing a vaporware, a remake, & a kickstarter. In other words, The Last Guardian, a Final Fantasy VII remake, and kickstarting Shenmue III. Outside of that, I was pretty meh with Sony's press conference & Nintendo's was also meh but at least there was some interesting game. Microsoft, I'll just skip that one just because. Otherwise, I just say this E3 was...okay.

Now, just because Sony won doesn't mean I actually want to buy a PS4 now. I'm not really interested in Star Ocean or Nier so that's not selling it to me. (I played two previous installments of the former and didn't care much for them while the latter is something I may have cared for if I gave more time but didn't care to at the time)

Of course, a lot of it is because I have been more embracing of PC gaming as of late. I've been seeing the games that would get me to buy a console has been going PC.

Just to go down the games I'm wanting but got (or going to have) PC ports:*Dead Rising 3. This one was originally for Xbox One but got a PC port. I'll be missing out on that particular DLC with the parody name (Super Ultra blah blah blah you get the idea), but the game itself is on PC, so yeah.*Street Fighter V. This is supposed to be a PS4 exclusive...but it's also going to have a PC version & have cross-platform online matchmaking, so nothing to worry about there.*Tales of Zestiria. Now, this is originally a PS3 game but there was some leaks that teased a Steam & PS4 version. They became true and...I actually want to support the Steam release since I've been wishing to see Tales games get PC version for some time (and this is the person that used the M. Bison, "Yes, yes" clip as a reaction to Tales of Zestiria Steam version. Let that sink in.). If I end up buying a physical version, it's just going to be a PS3 version but I'm putting more emphasis on buying the Steam version.*Killer Instinct 2013. After Dead Rising 3 got a PC version, this was the last holdover from Xbox One I really wanted to play. Maybe it was a far-fetched wish to see Killer Instinct 2013 get the PC version but since I was hearing Microsoft wanting to make a comeback on PC gaming, I figured this may be in the cards...and it was. This is a fighting game I really want to play but couldn't settle on getting a new console (that wasn't Wii U). This got announced at a PC game show segment of E3 and I couldn't be any happier over it. Best of all, I don't have to worry about buying a new arcade stick specifically for Xbox One since I can still use the Xbox 360 sticks I have for the system.

Bonus point (Not something on the wishlist but happy nonetheless):*Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. Okay, so I have played the original game on Xbox 360. There was a PC version released but Games for Windows Live being put in limbo isn't going to make it easy for me to play that one. This remastering for Xbox One is going to have a PC version, so now I can still get a chance to play the PC version to see the cut content from the 360 version.

So the thing I got out of E3 is...I still have yet to decide to get a new console since I've been embracing PC gaming. Maybe in a year or two but I'm certainly more focus on upgrading my computer (besides, there's only one place I want to play Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and that's on a computer with a keyboard & mouse).

I guess if it is something I get out of this, despite being merely okay, it was the E3 that made me eat crow.

I have been wanting to write out my Tales history for some time (well, it's supposed to be the series' 20th anniversary when I started writing this). I will not be holding back on writing this. I'm writing as much as I can in this, even if it show some elements that may not put me in a good light. So, here's my history with the Tales series.

I've been thinking a lot about my nerdy stuff & some things in regards to it. When I was thinking of this stuff, I also have two things in mind about a series and its fandom thing. I'm looking towards Star Wars & Star Trek.

Since a remastering of the Gamecube remake of Resident Evil is coming out soon (and I am getting the Steam version), it's once again reviving some of my thoughts in regards to the horror genre, or more like some cynical feelings about it.

*Wii U Deluxe Set with Super Mario 3D World & Nintendo Land pre-installed on it.*Super Smash Bros. for Wii U*Bayonetta 2*A Mario Amiibo*Regular Show Season 1 & 2 Blu Ray*Two Shirts (One's a polo shirt and the other is a Ninja Turltes jersey)

Summed up right there. I was making sure I was ready one way or another. Whichever system I got for Christmas (either Wii U or Vita), I'll buy the other one. I'm going to make sure to buy a Vita myself.

This has been difficult. I'll say that this is definitely the year where I felt like my mind has fallen apart. It was pretty noticeable for me earlier in the year but as it goes on, I think it gets worse. There has been times where in previous years where I do feel like it was a rotten year, each time worse than the last time. This one's no different, though I could say it's worse. I figured it's time to get a lot more open about this. For some people that knows me already, this may be retreading things they already know but I figure it's the best way to talk about. I'm also willing to show some moment that don't paint a pretty picture of me (and I do mean that).

Note: If you're coming here as one of the Abyssal Chronicles chatbox regular, as I said there, I will be allowing non-sign in comments but please, please, please make sure you say who you are so I know who I'm talking to (I'm just trying to be loose with how this is being handled. I will also be screening them first since I never dealt with anonymous posting before).

Now that I'm back from Las Vegas and settled in, I'm going to write up my experience this year.

What ended up being different this time was that I actually got the meet tyrov, his brother, and one other friend. After so much online interaction, it was great to finally see them in person.---( Pool Results )

Now for another batch of unpopular opinions, I'm aiming at a genre I tend to get my competitiveness going...fighting games. Currently not much compared to unpopular Tales opinions but here we go.

*I do not think Super Smash Bros. Melee is the be all, end all Smash Bros (or fighting games for that matter). You can shove your statistics of EVO 2013 stream viewership or brag about how deep the mechanics it is but that does not mean I say it's the be all, end all of fighting games. I'll say this, even when I claim that Brawl sucks! (Super Smash Bros)

*I may have played as Roy in Melee but I am not sadden by the fact that he was cut from Brawl. I know his inclusion in Melee was merely an ad space and nothing more. (And I know some Fire Emblem fanatics will come and point out to me that Roy was a bad lord gameplay wise) (Super Smash Bros)